World War II soldier honored, to be laid to rest in his home state after missing for 8 decades
U.S. Army Captain Willibald C. Bianchi, a World War II Medal of Honor recipient, is to be laid to rest in Minnesota after his remains were identified through DNA technology 8 decades after his death. Bianchi's remains were previously unidentifiable and buried in Honolulu until a 2018 DNA sample from his relatives led to their identification in 2025.
U.S. Army Captain Willibald C. Bianchi of New Ulm, Minnesota, served in World War II and was awarded the Medal of Honor. Bianchi commanded Company D, 1st Battalion, 45th Infantry Regiment, Philippine Scouts, on the Bataan Peninsula. He survived the Bataan Death March and was a prisoner of war before dying in friendly fire. His remains were previously buried at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu as unidentifiable. A 2018 DNA sample from his sister and other relatives helped scientists identify his remains in 2025. Bianchi's funeral is set for next weekend in Minnesota, where he will be honored with a water cannon salute and a Medal of Honor flight.
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